


300-thread-count

by masi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hotels, M/M, brief erejean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 23:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1322728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masi/pseuds/masi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An interesting new guest by the name of Erwin Smith has checked into Levi’s hotel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	300-thread-count

A man by the name of Erwin Smith has booked Suite 310, the most expensive room in Hotel Rose, for five days. 

“He’s weird,” is Farlan’s opinion. “He was sitting around in the lobby almost all day Monday and part of yesterday. Isabel thought he was weird too, until he bought her a coffee traveler from Starbucks.” 

“He’s got this weird tie,” Isabel informs Levi. “It has a green jewel on it. I bet that jewel is really expensive. His clothes are nice too. Why isn’t he staying at the Sina instead? It’s just next door.”

It’s the lull before summer (and tourist season in this area because of the beach nearby), the next event in the banquet hall isn’t until Saturday, and Levi has just completed the hotel-management seminar he is forced to attend every year. He has a lot of time this week to people-watch. Instead of telling Isabel and Farlan to leave their guests alone, he hangs around the reception desk, waiting for a glimpse of this Erwin Smith. 

He is on his fifth cup of tea when a tall blond man steps out of the elevator and walks over to the reception desk. 

“Going out, Mr. Smith?” Isabel asks loudly. She holds a hotel pamphlet up in front of her face and winks at Levi.

“Yes,” Erwin replies, sliding over a keycard. 

He has a smooth, deep voice. The green jewel on his bolo tie glitters under the light of the chandelier above him. He is wearing dress pants and a navy blue shirt, both probably tailored, judging by how elegantly they fit his nice frame. His hair is combed to the right, neatly. 

“This is Levi, our manager!” Isabel announces, and Erwin turns, smiles at Levi.

The smile is kind of nice, not overly friendly or fake. Levi likes the guy’s eyes too. They are a lighter shade of blue than his shirt and very intense, like he is trying to read Levi. 

The eyebrows are funny, very thick, like two sleeping caterpillars.

Nowadays, Levi knows better than to make fun of his customers. He says, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith. I hope you’re enjoying your stay here.”

“Yes, I am,” Erwin replies. “And it’s very nice to finally meet you, Levi. I’ve read great reviews of your hotel.” He holds out his right hand. He isn’t wearing a ring on that hand or on his left either.

Levi isn’t fond of handshakes, there’s no telling where the other person’s hand has been, but refusing to shake in this case might be bad for business. No one else has reserved Suite 310 for five days before. They are going to make at least $500 if Erwin stays until Saturday. Today is Wednesday. 

He clasps Erwin’s hand in his own and is pleasantly startled to find how smooth Erwin’s skin is. Aside from a light dusting of blonde hair on the fingers and near the wrist, it is just like the hands of those women who apply carry hand cream every hour and never do the dishes. But Erwin has thick knuckles, and he is pressing his thumb into Levi’s palm more forcefully than any woman or man has before (that is, anyone who wasn’t trying to break Levi’s bones).

Levi squeezes back before releasing Erwin’s hand. He was planning to head upstairs to check on the cleaning service, but he is curious now. “What brings you here, Mr. Smith?” he asks.

“Just Erwin is fine,” Erwin replies.

“Alright, Just Erwin, why’re you here?”

Erwin looks at him for a moment, face unreadable, before saying, “Your hotel has four stars on Yelp. The reviewers wrote that they were pleased with the cleanliness of the place, but a few of them took points off for a certain testy hotel manager they met.”

Levi wasn’t expecting such an evasive answer. This Erwin Smith isn’t half bad. He is about to press further when Isabel puts her hands on her hips and says, “Rude! They outta know that Big Bro can be testy but that he’s also the one who does most of the cleaning!”

Erwin blinks at her, looking surprised. 

Levi says, “Isabel, that guest over there needs to sign in.”

It is now Isabel’s turn to look surprised. Levi continues, so that she doesn’t get the wrong idea, “Weren’t you going somewhere, Erwin? Better be on your way then. You’re holding up the line.”

“Ah, of course.” Erwin moves away from the desk. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Levi.”

“Yeah,” Levi says. He watches Erwin walk through the lobby. So much confidence in his movements. Whatever tragic backstory Erwin has that has led him to rent a week in a limited service hotel, he’s not going to talk about it. Either that or he’s one of those self-made men who knows the importance of strategic financial planning. No wonder Isabel and Farlan are so curious about him. 

Levi resolves to keep an eye on Erwin Smith.

***

He is inspecting the windowsill of Room 207 for dust when he notices that Erwin is swimming in the pool next door. The duster falls from his hand.

“I’m so sorry, Sir,” Eren pipes up from behind him. Eren Yeager is the hotel’s newest bellhop, which means that he has to help out with the cleaning along with doing his regular duties. He sounds miserable. “I’ll clean the windows again right away.”

“You’re so useless, Yeager,” says the other bellhop, Jean. “How hard is it to dust a window?”

The two get into another pointless argument, their tenth of the day. Levi orders them out of the room and then presses closer to the window so that he can see Erwin properly. Wow, the guy has a lot of well-defined muscles. Muscles that are glistening with water and sunlight as he steps out of the pool. His black trunks are clinging to his ass.

The important question is, Levi reminds himself as he adjusts his pants, what is Erwin doing in Mike’s swimming pool? None of the other guests of Hotel Rose just stroll over to Hotel Sina and take a dip in the pool. Nanaba, the manager, wouldn’t allow that. 

Maybe Erwin is a famous former athlete who is too old to compete anymore so he is spending his time wandering around the world and angsting about his former glory. That would explain the musculature. Mike is also a former athlete, played polo or something posh like that, and so he let Erwin use his pool.

Levi takes the elevator down to the lobby and tells Eren, who is now struggling with a teary-eyed guest’s gigantic suitcase, “No fighting with Kirstein in front of the guests unless you want to spend the rest of the day cleaning the toilets. Same goes for you, Kirstein. Both of you, fix your caps.”

He takes his blazer off and places it in the office behind the reception desk. Farlan looks up from his laptop to raise an eyebrow.

As Levi is walking out of the lobby, Isabel calls, “Hey, where you going, Big Bro?” 

Levi adjusts his cravat and then cuts across the lawn to reach Hotel Sina. He is approaching the glass doors, which aren’t half as sparkly as his own, when a familiar voice says, “Ah, fancy meeting you here, Levi.”

Levi almost stumbles over the steps. He catches himself just in time, turns around with as much grace as he can muster. He says, “Hello, Erwin.”

Erwin has a towel around his broad shoulders, and his damp hair is sticking up at odd angles. Not a bad look at all. Levi kind of wants to run his fingers through that hair.

He wants to kick himself too. What is he, seventeen or something? Springtime romance is for kids like Jean and Eren. One night stands with random strangers is more his style. Or, it used to be when he had just moved to this town. Nowadays he just runs the hotel and has the occasional session with his right hand.

He is a mature, well-adjusted adult, so he walks over to Erwin, says in a calm tone, “Erwin, there is a beach about half a mile from here. Don’t be a lazyass. Walk there. There’s no need to use Mike’s pool.”

Erwin laughs before replying, “I’ll keep that in mind. I didn’t know the beach was that close.”

“What are you even doing here in this small town then?”

Erwin leans unnecessarily close, says, “Maybe I will tell you one day. Provided that you ask nicely.”

A drop of water falls from Erwin’s hair and lands on Levi’s cheek, which is getting a little hot. Levi brushes the water off. “Gross,” he says. “I hope you took a shower after your swim.”

“Hmm.” Erwin is staring at him.

“What?” Levi snaps. He feels more than a little ridiculous, standing on the grass in his uniform pants, squinting up at Erwin, who looks relaxed and at peace with the world in that white t-shirt and shorts. And when Levi looks down, he sees the flip-flops, the tan-colored straps loose over not-gross toes. 

“No, I’m just curious.” Erwin nods in the direction of Hotel Rose. “Why are you following me back? Don’t you have business at Sina?”

“That’s none of your damn business,” Levi says, and does not follow Erwin back inside. Instead, he takes his bike out of the parking garage, pedals to town, and buys dinner for him and Farlan and Isabel. After all, the hotel only offers breakfast food, and the restaurants across from the hotel are mediocre at best.

Levi also visits Hange, but that visit was long overdue. It’s not like he’s trying to avoid Erwin. He’s not a kid with a crush.

***

Levi has just gone to sleep when the fire alarm goes off.

He scrambles out of bed and runs into the lobby. The guests are rushing out the doors and into the lawn. There are only fifteen people staying over tonight, thankfully. Levi waits by the stairwell until Isabel rushes downstairs.

“What’re you doing, Big Bro?” she exclaims, pulling him towards the front entrance. “You’re supposed to go out as soon as you hear the alarm!”

“Is everyone down? Wait, I didn’t check the elevators!”

“No one’s using the elevators, c’mon!”

He does a quick headcount outside. All fifteen guests are present on the lawn, including Erwin who has found time to put on a trench coat and comb his hair (like he does this all the time, jumping out of bed in the middle of the night, no big deal). There’s Jean and Eren, wearing each other’s shirts and bickering again. Farlan is texting on his phone.

The hotel looks fine, no signs of smoke anywhere. And, thinking back, Levi can’t remember smelling any smoke inside his room or the lobby. 

He stomps over to Jean and Eren. “Alright,” he says, as they both shrink back, “which one of you fucking brats was smoking in bed?”

“We weren’t!” they protest.

They don’t smell like cigarettes. Levi asks, “Which one of you pulled the alarm for fun?”

“We would never do that,” they say.

Must have been one of the guests then. If there is no evidence of any of the alarms being pulled, Levi will have to check every single room from top to bottom. That is, after the firefighters come by, chew him out for the false alarm, and leave. 

Before the firefighters arrive, however, Mike and Nanaba decide to make an appearance. Mike looks a little smug, or that expression could be a result of his mustache having grown out even further. He stands around sniffing Levi while Nanaba asks questions in a concerned tone, like “Do you want me to check the security cameras for signs of suspicious activity? Are all of your guests out of the hotel?”

“Get lost, I don’t want spectator traffic,” Levi tells Mike, who currently has his gigantic nose in Levi’s hair. 

“Zackly is definitely going to sell after he hears this,” Mike says. He pats Levi on the shoulder as he turns to go, says, “No worries, Midget, you can work for me after that.”

“Yeah, keep dreaming,” Levi calls after him.

Running a hotel does suck sometimes. This is the first time he has had to deal with a false fire alarm, but there are a lot of other problems too, like customers not wanting to pay and kids wetting the beds and couples fighting in their room and customers having too much fun between the sheets, which Levi has to throw away afterwards because no way is he putting them in the laundry machine. 

But every time Zackly stops by and makes noises about selling the place, Levi get a little worried. He knows that he can always find another place to work at, but he likes it here. This hotel has become a home for him, Isabel, and Farlan after their years of wandering around. And he likes the beach, likes Nanaba, likes Mike sometimes. 

He sighs. It’s cold. He is starting to shiver.

He nearly jumps when he feels a coat settle over his shoulders.

“You looked cold,” Erwin says.

“What the fuck, give a guy a warning!” Levi pulls the coat off. “And take this back.”

The trench coat is made of lightweight linen. It is entirely too big for Levi. It was very sweet of Erwin to give it to him. 

“The firemen will be here soon,” Levi says. “And then you can go back inside. Sorry, okay, for the inconvenience.”

“No need to apologize,” Erwin says. “It was good exercise, using the stairs. I am trying to be less of a lazyass.”

Levi smiles, and before he can cover it up, Erwin notices, smiles back.

“Right,” Levi says, turning around. “Gotta go. Don’t go inside until I give everyone the all-clear.”

As soon as he walks back to Isabel, she says, “What were you two talking about, Big Bro?”

“Nothing.”

“Was his coat very nice?”

Thankfully, the fire truck comes roaring down the street at that moment.

***

Levi goes in with the firemen, who inspect the fire alarms and then chew him out for not having enclosed the one near the kitchen with a cover. After making noises about fining him, they leave. Levi tells Farlan to tell the customers to return to their rooms, and then he stomps off to bed, pissed.

*** 

They are down to ten customers the next day. “No worries, only the skeevy ones checked out!” Isabel assures him. “They talk a big game, but when push comes to shove they’re out. Can’t handle a little false alarm, haha.”

Erwin is the only one left on the third floor. He comes down for breakfast that morning, smiles at Levi, and then goes into the dining room where Jean has prepared their continental breakfast service. He sits at a table by the windows, makes his way through an egg sandwich and two cups of coffee while he taps away on one of those fancy tablet computers. 

Levi kind of wants to get on a computer himself, search for information about Erwin Smith on Google, but he will refrain from now. Guests deserve their privacy. It’s not like Erwin is causing him any trouble. 

That evening, after a thunderstorm starts up, Levi decides to go pay the hotel’s current favorite guest a visit. 

He knocks once and starts counting in his head. Erwin opens the door when Levi reaches five. Levi announces, “I’m checking in on you because of the storm. You good?”

“Is there any reason I wouldn’t be?” Erwin replies.

“You really like being a mystery, don’t you?” Levi looks into the room. It’s wasted on this guy. Erwin is only really making use of the desk, where he has stacked about ten books, and the dresser, from which bits of his clothing stick out.

“I bet people really like that about you, you being a mystery,” Levi continues. Maybe nobody likes Erwin because he’s so closemouthed, and that’s why he is vacationing by himself in this gigantic suite. “Was just checking to make sure the windows are okay, okay Mr. Mystery Man?”

“They’re fine.”

They aren’t. Both windows are open, Levi realizes, and the windowsills are soaked with rainwater. He turns, slowly, to glare at Erwin. “What,” he begins.

And then there is a large crack of thunder, followed by a click as the lights go out. 

This is followed by a long moment of silence, and then two things happen. Levi turns towards the hall. Erwin’s hand closes around Levi’s wrist.

Levi jumps, accidentally bangs his elbow against the doorframe. “Fuck!” he shouts. “What the shit. Fuck are you doing!”

“Hold on, let me get my cell phone,” Erwin says, tone very calm. “That will give us light. Stay still, Levi.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

Levi jerks his hand away just as Erwin turns his phone on. The small rectangle of light only makes Erwin look creepier. This is why you shouldn’t mess with guests, Levi reflects. It never ends well. Erwin could be some kind of criminal on the run, and now that the power’s out, he is planning to wreak havoc on the hotel. 

Like hell though. He is going to have to pass Levi first. And that won’t happen, not in a million years. Levi has a black belt in karate, and he’s fast on his feet.

“Would you like to sit by the windows for a moment?” Erwin asks. “Until the generator starts up?”

“No, just give me your phone so that I can go downstairs.”

Erwin hands his phone right over. Levi frowns, unsure now. A criminal wouldn’t do that. But this could be a trick.

And then Erwin walks over to the windows himself, takes a seat between the two. “The rain is very calming,” he says. “And there is something in the air during a storm. A different energy of sorts. I promise I’ll wipe up the water later.”

Levi reflects that the stairs could be tricky to negotiate without proper lighting. His best option is to stay here until Farlan fixes the generator or the power comes back on, whichever happens first. 

He heaves a sigh and then goes over to the windows. “You’re a weird man,” he informs Erwin. 

“In a good way or a bad way?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Erwin was right about the rain though. The raindrops feel nice on Levi’s face. The wind makes the hair on the back of his neck rise, but in a pleasant way, anticipation instead of fear. 

“This isn’t the way we do room service,” Levi mutters. “We don’t sit around with our guests.”

A bolt of lightning flashes through the sky, illuminating the windows and Erwin’s face. Levi realizes that Erwin is looking straight at him, brow furrowed, eyes very intense. “What?” Levi says.

Erwin puts a hand on the back of Levi’s head, says, “You have something there,” and licks a raindrop off of Levi’s cheek.

His tongue is hot against Levi’s skin. A pleasant contrast with the wind and rain blowing into the room and chilling Levi to the bone. Levi closes his eyes. Lets Erwin kiss his cheek, his forehead, the corner of his mouth.

And then the lights turn back on, and that’s the end of that.

***

“Why would I fix the generator,” Farlan says, not bothering to look up from his screen, “when we haven’t had a power outage in months?”

“Are you kidding me?” Levi pushes the screen of the laptop down on Farlan’s fingers. “Was I hallucinating last night then?”

“Maybe?” Farlan shrugs a shoulder. “Or dreaming? Was it a very pleasant dream?”

Levi stomps out of the office and over to Isabel, who asks in a high-pitched tone, “What’s wrong, Big Bro?”

“There’s something shitty going on in this hotel,” Levi says. “I don’t like it.” 

“Really? Um. I’ll call Nanaba. Nanaba’s good with security cameras. In the meantime!” She pushes a ring of keys over the desk. “Would you mind visiting the roof today? We need to clean up the place before our April guests start showing up. They really like having lunch up on the roof!”

Levi was planning on going into town again and having a relaxing lunch, but if he doesn’t work on the roof today, he won’t have time to go up until Monday at the earliest. He has to manage a baby shower tomorrow night, and there’s another event the next day. He will deal with Isabel later.

He takes his blazer off, gets his cleaning supplies, and climbs up the steep stairs that leads to the roof. 

It is warm out, bright and sunny. At least twenty people are splashing around in Mike’s pool. Levi is about to look for Erwin when he reminds himself to not be silly. He ties a handkerchief over his mouth and nose and gets to work.

He has just finished sweeping the stray tree branches and dead leaves into a big pile when the door opens and Erwin appears.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Levi says.

“This is a nice roof,” Erwin remarks, looking around.

“Who sent you up here?”

“What do you mean?”

Levi heads for the door. Before he can reach it, the door closes. He hears the unmistakable sound of the lock turning on the other end. 

“This isn’t funny, Isabel!” he shouts. “Open the fucking door right now!”

There is no knob on this side, so there is no way he can open the door himself. He can’t call Eren or Jean to tell one of them to come unlock the door because he doesn’t have his cell phone on him and doesn’t know their numbers either. Farlan is out of the question: he is probably in cahoots with Isabel. 

Levi realizes that he will have to somehow climb down to a third floor balcony, and then use the fire escape ladder to get down to the lawn. Maybe Erwin will lend him a hand.

“Oh,” Erwin says, smiling, when Levi turns to face him, “are your friends trying to set you up with me? That’s cute. My friends try to do that with me too.”

“It’s not cute at all! I feel like I’m in some disgusting B-rated romcom. Now, listen closely.” Levi takes a deep breath to steady himself. “I’m going to find some rope, there should be some in the shed over there, and then I’m going to tie one end to a fixture and another around your waist, and then you’re going to lower me onto the balcony down there. I’ll come unlock the door as soon as I get inside. There’s nothing to worry about, okay, I promise I’ll come for you.”

“I’m not worried,” Erwin replies and puts a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “But I’m sure your friends will open the door soon enough. Let’s make the most of our time up here.”

He actually sounds happy, like getting stuck on a roof was on his bucket list of things to do before he dies and now he can check that off. Levi feels the need to sit down next to his pile of debris.

“Are you afraid of heights?” Erwin asks, sounding concerned all of a sudden.

Levi sighs. “No,” he says. “Just stop talking.” 

“Alright,” Erwin says, and then kneels next to him (ironed, probably tailored pants scraping the ground and all), kisses Levi on the mouth.

This kiss is rougher than the ones Erwin gave him last night, and Levi likes it, likes it when Erwin bites his lower lip, likes the way Erwin is gripping his hair, likes it when Erwin slows down to suck on his upper lip, when he slides his tongue inside, slides it over Levi’s tongue.

“Alright?” Erwin asks when they part to breathe.

“Yeah.”

Erwin smells of the lotion and shampoo that are given as hotel amenities. His fingers are resting against Levi’s nape, and he is looking fondly at Levi, like he likes what he sees. 

Levi has just climbed into Erwin’s lap when the door of the roof opens and Eren shouts, “I’m so sorry, Sir! I didn’t know … Um! The door’s open now!”

***

“What really brings you here to this cheap hotel?” Levi asks, tracing a finger over Erwin’s eyebrows.

“Mike, who is an old friend of mine, suggested that I spend my spring break in this town. He said that he had interesting neighbors.”

No doubt Mike wanted to set Erwin up with Isabel. She’s the nicest one in Hotel Rose. Levi asks, “Aren’t you too old for spring break? How do you know Mike anyway?”

“We attended the same university for undergrad, which is where I currently teach. We used to play polo together.”

“Fancy.” Levi presses a hand against Erwin’s abs and then rubs his toes against Erwin’s thigh. He is glad that Erwin didn’t let himself go after he quit competitive sports. These muscles feel just as amazing as they look. 

“Mike could’ve let you have a room and then invited his interesting neighbors over,” Levi says. “What a stingy bastard.”

“He did offer, but I was more interested in your hotel.” Erwin smiles. “I heard that your sheets are much more comfortable.” He pulls the sheets up to their shoulders and then puts an arm around Levi’s waist. “I haven’t been proven wrong.”

“They’re not that in high thread count, but they’re made from Egyptian cotton. That’s what really makes the difference. What do you teach at your fancy university?”

“Archaeology.” Erwin traces a finger down the bridge of Levi’s nose. “Tell me more about yourself. About your friends. Or are they family? The two concierges?”

“That’s rich, coming from you, Mr. Mystery Man. You have to answer all of my questions first.”

“I’m honored that you want to know about me.”

Levi knows that he is going to regret this in the morning, and for at least a week afterwards too, knew it as soon as Erwin tugged him into Suite 310 after their adventure on the roof, thought about it again as they were pulling their clothes off. But regret can wait. For now, he has Erwin holding him, so warm and tender and when was the last time anyone touched him like that. He doesn’t want to leave. That would be the bigger mistake, leaving.

***

Levi hates goodbyes, especially ones that have to be said in front of other people, so he goes out to mow the lawn early Saturday morning, waits outside for Erwin to step out with his bags.

Erwin emerges from the hotel around ten o’clock, says, “Well.”

Levi tries to think of something nice to say, but he can’t find the words he wants. He kisses Erwin instead, in front of any and all voyeurs of both hotels combined, runs his fingers through Erwin’s hair. Erwin is flushed afterwards, his hair rumpled and on his forehead, and he looks better this way, sexier, reminds Levi of last night.

Erwin clears his throat, says, “Well, take care, Levi.” 

He turns towards the parking garage, and then turns around, takes Levi’s hand, presses a kiss to his knuckles. “Thank you,” he says.

“Yeah,” Levi replies. “You too.”

***

Levi was planning on having a long talk with Isabel and Farlan about how people shouldn’t play matchmaker (especially when their idea of matchmaking is to go around pulling fire alarms and turning the power off and trapping people on the roof), but setting up the banquet hall for the baby shower takes up most of his time. By five in the afternoon he has a massive headache because of the screaming kids that have come with their parents and have been left to their own devices, that is, left to run around the whole hotel.

He assigns Eren and Jean to babysitting duty with the promise that they will get a fat bonus for their trouble. Then he goes into the office room, where he collapses on a chair. 

Isabel pops in with a pot of tea and three cups. “Guess what, Big Bro,” she says, perching on the desk. “Erwin gave me a generous tip! He says it’s for me, so don’t get the wrong idea, okay. A whole hundred dollars!” She waves the note in the air.

“You should share that with me,” Farlan says, pouring himself a cup of tea. “I helped too, you know.”

“Helped with what exactly?” Levi snaps, taking the cup from Farlan. “I don’t need help getting laid. And we’re not some kind of whorehouse, okay. No more sleeping with the guests.” His right hand still tingles whenever he thinks about Erwin.

“You’re so silly, Big Bro,” Isabel says, sighing. 

Farlan pushes his laptop over to Levi. “Here. Read this. You’re welcome.”

Levi glares at him and then looks at the screen. Farlan has pulled up the Yelp page for Hotel Rose. The latest review says: _This hotel provides excellent service. The manager is very dedicated to his job and kind, albeit in a unique way, to his guests. 100% recommended; would stay again_. The reviewer’s username is Mr. Mystery Man.

“What a loser,” Levi says, tries not to blush. 

Before going to bed that night he gets Isabel to get Erwin’s number from Mike, and then he calls. Erwin picks up on the second ring. Levi says, “So, when are you coming back?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
